Bring it on!

Here is an example of why I love/miss my friend Kathy so much! She recently submitted this well-worded comment to CBC.ca in response to CBC's decision to mess with The National in order to air a reality show. For full explanation on this story and to get a sampling of the critical backlash, click on the links below.

As an FYI, all Kathy received in response to her complaint was a standard return blah-blah-blah page.

I love it!

Editorial: Time to review CBC's mandate - The Toronto Star
Turn the CBC into a Pay Channel - The National Post
Reality Show to Bump CBC-TV's The National - CBC.ca

Reality Show bumping The National? by Kathy Hewak

What are you people thinking? Have you completely lost your minds?

As a former employee (‘94-‘06) and now as a member of the public at large, I have to tell you that it’s been excruciating watching the fast-paced erosion of CBC – from the inside and out.

Your fall launch announcement was paltry compared to Global and CTV. Your continued celebration of mediocrity is making CBC a national embarrassment.

The only TV programming left to hang your hats on is a smattering of half-hour comedies, a few good news programs and what's left of a few sports contracts.

And now, when the crest of (good) reality shows has pretty much passed, you decide to jump on the bandwagon. OK, fine. I can accept that. Better late than never, right? But good lord, you're turning Peter Mansbridge and the "flagship" National into a joke. I've never seen the news more jostled around.

I particularly like the way you scheduled the news last night (June 25, 2006). 10 minutes (10:00-10:10 p.m. ET) between takes of Pirates of the Caribbean – it was actually scheduled that way - like a lengthy commercial. Nice. Since when did you marginalize the news? You should really hand over a copy of the CBC mandate to your new executives and force the lifers to re-read it. I’m pretty sure it can be found online. Send them to CBC.ca and see if they can find it from there. Good luck with that.

You know, it's one thing to piss off the Corrie fans during the Olympics every couple of years but now you’re starting to screw with the rest of us year round.

Peter, save yourself and head south of the border. If J.D. Roberts can get himself a gig on CBS, just think what you could do!